Are the Ravens in trouble? Baltimore at Dallas a huge game for both teams this week...

[eball]

@MJS I thought the same, and if their OL is really as bad as it has looked the first two weeks they can’t even rely on that running game.

 

Bills fans in this forum would be losing their s-c-h-i-t-t if the Bills started out the way Baltimore has, but instead we have fans dismissing the first two games as if they are nothing with “it’s a long season” and “they’ll be fine” responses.

 

I’m not so sure.

 

[unbillievable]

7 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

 

Over the past three seasons since the expansion to a 17-game schedule, 21 teams have opened the season 0-2. Only two have eventually made the playoffs. In 2023, nine teams started the season 0-2 and the Houston Texans were the only team to make the playoffs. They finished 10-7 and won the AFC South. The year prior, five teams started 0-2 and only the Cincinnati Bengals made the playoffs. They finished 12-4 and won the AFC North. In 2021, seven teams started the season 0-2 and none of them made the playoffs.

 

In 2020, when the league expanded to a 14-team playoff field, 11 teams started with an 0-2 record and none of those teams made the playoffs.

Prior to 2020, the NFL adopted a 12-team playoff format in 1990. Between 1990 and 2019, 12% of teams that started 0-2 reached the playoffs.

 

https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/24245523/0-2-start-nfl-playoffs-how-likely-history-last-season

[Sweats]

I'm expecting the Ravens to manhandle Dallas into submission

[HappyDays]

6 minutes ago, buffblue said:

I think Baltimore will beat the brakes off Dallas. That is a poor matchup for a finesse Cowboys team who is terrible against the run

 

I'm not sure the Ravens have a great running offense though. Which is crazy to say with Lamar Jackson at QB. But Derrick Henry is not in his prime anymore and the interior OL kind of sucks.

 

They are for sure a better coached team than the Cowboys. That will have to be enough to make up for a clear talent discrepancy.

[SCBills]

Bills, Ravens and Dolphins all lost a lot this past off-season, but we were the ones who seemed to have been singled out.  

 

And in fairness, our names were the biggest.  Diggs, Davis, Morse, Hyde, Poyer, Tre etc..

 

But the Dolphins and Ravens decided to neglect the trenches to focus elsewhere.

 

Buffalo had a plan for the OL.  They wanted McGovern at C, they wanted to get Edwards onto the field at LG.  They invested a recent high pick at RG.  They paid their two starting tackles.  On the DL, we had question marks, but it does look like Rousseau is making the jump and it does look like Von is back.  In two games, we have won the trenches.  And in two games the succession plan and depth has proven to be legit. 

 

Same can't be said for Baltimore and Miami.. and people are now just starting to realize that both teams lost a lot and unlike the Bills FO, didn't have a plan to address those losses. 

 

Now, please beat Jax so we don't look like idiots for showering our staff/front office with compliments.  

[SoonerBillsFan]

40 minutes ago, boco357 said:

I trust Harbaugh way more than Mccarthy unfortunately for this one.

Yeah I see them beating Dallas.

[Chicken Boo]

10 minutes ago, Generic_Bills_Fan said:

0-2 start with two afc losses is really tough if you don’t go on to win your division especially if the chargers are good…they’re 2.5 games behind one of the wildcard teams right now and starting out dead last in a logjam for the other two spots 

 

 

The way I look at it, the Chiefs loss was a given and almost every team loses a game or 2 that they shouldn't.

 

There's 15 games left to play.  

[buffblue]

9 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

I'm not sure the Ravens have a great running offense though. Which is crazy to say with Lamar Jackson at QB. But Derrick Henry is not in his prime anymore and the interior OL kind of sucks.

 

They are for sure a better coached team than the Cowboys. That will have to be enough to make up for a clear talent discrepancy.

I don't really disagree with your point, but I still think the Ravens will be able to control the game. They will be the more desperate and intense team at 0-2.

[Jauronimo]

28 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

I heard a stat yesterday. Over the last five years the Ravens have 10 losses where they held a 7+ point lead in the 4th quarter, the most of any NFL team in that timeframe. Letting a bad Raiders team win in that fashion is just embarrassing honestly.

Those are the most valuable losses of the last 5 years though.

[GoBills808]

not yet because from an afcn perspective their biggest competition imo is also 0-2...but for seeding purposes yes they have hurt themselves

 

sidenote this is how KC always manages to sneak out HFA in the postseason...they are a questionable PI call and an Isaiah Likely toe away from 0-2 and instead hold tiebreaks over two major AFC contenders

[Coach Tuesday]

Baltimore has made its living as a franchise getting hot down the stretch.  Important game?  Yes - but not existential.

[machine gun kelly]

55 minutes ago, Billl said:

Pittsburgh is favored in their game. It’s entirely possible that the Ravens could be three games back to a team that beat them twice last season. 

The sad thing is the Steel Curtain are pathetic on offense.  It’s a long season and the Ravens offensive line for them is atrocious.  I’m more excited the Jags is a winnable game, and the Ravens even moreso.  The Jags line looks terrible as well.

 

We have a decent shot at 4-0, but it has to go well.  Then we face the Texans which should be interesting.  People try to compare Stroud to Josh, but he has a lot to learn.  He’s had a nice start.

[MJS]

30 minutes ago, eball said:

@MJS I thought the same, and if their OL is really as bad as it has looked the first two weeks they can’t even rely on that running game.

 

Bills fans in this forum would be losing their s-c-h-i-t-t if the Bills started out the way Baltimore has, but instead we have fans dismissing the first two games as if they are nothing with “it’s a long season” and “they’ll be fine” responses.

 

I’m not so sure.

Yep, I've noticed that there are a lot of fans who are very critical of the Bills, but very forgiving of other teams. It is a bit strange.

[Simon]

1 hour ago, eball said:

 

Until last Sunday I would have trusted Harbaugh with a 10-pt lead at home in the 4th quarter against Gardner Minshew…

 

 

I developed a mancrush on Gardner Minshew during the 4th qrtr of that game on Sunday 

[eball]

53 minutes ago, MJS said:

Yep, I've noticed that there are a lot of fans who are very critical of the Bills, but very forgiving of other teams. It is a bit strange.

 

Right?  If the Bills were 0-2 and had blown a 10-pt home lead, with the schedule they have coming up, this board would be littered with "fire McD" threads (well, more than usual) and pleas to "blow it all up."  We actually had a guy a week or so ago say he was embarrassed for Josh Allen and who he has to play with!!!

 

It is certainly a very interesting study in fan psychology.

 

[RiotAct]

kinda hoping the Ravens win, else they will be ultra-desperate heading into the SNF matchup with the Bills.

[eball]

2 minutes ago, RiotAct said:

kinda hoping the Ravens win, else they will be ultra-desperate heading into the SNF matchup with the Bills.

 

If you think there is ANY chance of the Bills taking the Ravens likely, regardless of their record, I have news for you...

 

[BillsfaninSB]

Unlike last weekend, some interesting games coming up.  Looking forward to this one a lot.

 

Hopefully Buffalo gets some help from the Vikings, Falcons and Seahawks.  I’m okay with the Cowboys beating the Ravens.  Ravens will be motivated either way against the Bills. 
 

Edited September 17 by BillsfaninSB

[Gregg]

2 minutes ago, BillsfaninSB said:

Unlike last weekend, some interesting games coming up.  Looking forward to this one a lot.

 

Hopefully Buffalo gets some help from the Vikings, Falcons and Seahawks.  I’m okay with the Cowboys beating the Ravens.  Ravens will be motivated either way against the Bills. 
 

 

Who do you want in the Pats-Jets game since both are 1-1.

[Bermuda Triangle]

9 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

Who do you want in the Pats-Jets game since both are 1-1.

Pats.  I hope the Jets go 1-16.